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A Sort of Sayonara

Ohisashiburi desu! It’s been a while, hasn’t it? It feels good to be back, though in some sense I’m not really back but rather away. Indeed, much has changed since my last post here. On October 24th, I boarded a plane at Tokyo’s Narita airport and bid a very teary farewell to my friends, colleagues, and adopted home for the past two years. Deciding to leave was not easy, and in the process I found myself grappling with many questions of belonging and place. Although my time in Japan was relatively short, much about my personality – and my way of viewing the world – has changed. Japan and the people I met there deepened my appreciation for community, trust, persistence, mutual respect, and teamwork. And although my family and upbringing in America taught me to be receptive of these values, Japan truly instilled them in me.

For now, however, the time has come for me to return to my family and friends in the States and pursue a new path. Please be assured, this does not mean Shichimi will become inactive. Although I will no longer be writing to you from Japan, I plan to continue exploring this marvelous cuisine and culture from afar. So please stay posted for more musings, photos, and recipes, and thanks for reading, as always.

I must say I will miss your photos of that incredibly beautiful and interesting country. But you’ll find other subjects in the US that will show your talents in this field and entertain your readers. Safe travels, loved one.

your words made me teary, even i am not in japan either. it is true that japan is no longer a foreign country to you but your home where you can always return and feel safe. well, we are still on the same planet so let’s spin it hard with our hands together now!

Aunt Alice – Thank you! I can’t wait to see you, too. PS: I’ve been thinking of you ever since my friend and I arrived here in the sleepy town of Marcilloles. We’re staying with a family in their 200-year-old renovated farmhouse, and of course we’ve been eating well every day – fresh yogurt with homemade jam for breakfast, vegetable soup and salad for dinner, and of course plenty of great bread all the time. You’d love it!